With Inter Milan sitting top of the Serie A and in the driving seat to win their first Scudetto since 2010, you can’t help but wonder just where that side over a decade ago are now.
Of course, then managed by Jose Mourinho, the last Inter Milan Scudetto winning side featured a plethora of stars, who also went onto win the Champions League and Coppa Italia that season.
Now, under Antonio Conte, the trophy drought looks likelier to end than ever at Inter Milan, with Juventus struggling, AC Milan beginning to falter and Inter getting better and better.
Should they secure the league title, the current list of players will write themselves into the history books alongside Jose Mourinho’s famous side.
The Last Inter Milan Scudetto Winning Side: Where Are They Now?
Inter Milan Scudetti Winners: Goalkeepers and Defenders
Jose Mourinho has built his career on forming sides that are defensively astute, and it was at Inter Milan where the tactician really began to make a name for himself.
Boasting a back four of Maicon, Lucio, Walter Samuel, Cristian Chivu, and Julio Cesar behind them, Mourinho built a team on the foundation of an almost impenetrable backline. But where are they now?
Julio Cesar: Conceding just 34 goals in the Serie A season, Cesar was a crucial part of the Inter Milan Scudetto winning side. After securing the treble at the Milan side, the goalkeeper spent another two years at the club before leaving for the Premier League and Queens Park Rangers.
The Brazilian then had spells at Toronto, Benfica and Flamengo before retiring in 2018.
Lucio: Like his goalkeeper, once the treble was secured and Inter’s fall from grace began, it didn’t take long for the Brazilian to jump ship- moving to Juventus and then Sao Paulo in 2012.
The former Inter man only retired in January of 2020 after a lengthy career full of the biggest of honours.
Maicon: There was a time when Maicon was considered the best in his position, and rightfully so. The fullback spent six years at Inter Milan and will always be remembered for scoring that famous goal against North Korea for Brazil.
After spending most of his career at Inter, like the aforementioned players, he departed in 2012- swapping Italian football for the Premier League and Manchester City.
And he didn’t stop there, either. At the age of 39, the Brazilian is still seen plying his trade for ASD Sona Calcio.
Walter Samuel: Signing for Inter in 2005, Walter Samuel reignited his career in a nine-year spell before leaving for Basel in 2014 and retiring in 2016. The Argentine was a key component to Jose Mourinho’s title-winning side alongside his fellow South Americans in defence.
Cristian Chivu: Perhaps an underrated part of Jose Mourinho’s side in 2010, Cristian Chivu completed Inter Milan’s astute backline. His last club before retiring was, in actual fact, the Serie A side, where he spent seven years.
Now, he is further cementing his legacy at the club as the academy manager of the U18 side.
Midfield
Javier Zanetti: Perhaps the most iconic player to feature in this side was Javier Zanetti. The former Milan man, who also featured in defence, retired in 2014 after making over 800 appearances for the Italian side.
His number four shirt has now been retired by Inter- perhaps summing up just how influential he was. Captaining the side, Zanetti’s leadership, and the experience he had in abundance paid dividends. It took him 15 years to finally get his hands on the Champions League in 2010 when he also picked up the Scudetto.
Like Chivu, Zanetti can be seen still playing his part at the club as the Vice President.
Esteban Cambiasso: Spending ten years at the San Siro, Cambiasso, next to Zanetti in midfield, formed a formidable partnership. Under Mourinho, he really began to kick on after failing to cement his place at Real Madrid.
After leaving Inter, Cambiasso went on to surprise us all by joining Leicester City before going on to be a part of the Premier League’s greatest ever underdog story in the 2015 title win. He then retired in 2017 after a brief spell at Olympiacos.
Wesley Sneijder: Perhaps the most naturally talented player on this list, Wesley Sneijder was the conductor of the perfectly in sink choir of Mourinho’s treble-winning side- registering 23 goal involvements.
Arguably, without the Dutchman, the Inter Milan side would have lacked that star power or creativity in midfield. Following the Scudetto winning season at Inter Milan, Sneijder swapped Italy for Turkey and Galatasaray in 2012- much to everyone’s surprise.
The midfielder then had spells at Nice and Al-Gharafa before retiring in 2019.
Attack
Mario Balotelli: Never one to be out of the spotlight, Mario Balotelli enjoyed a good spell at Inter Milan under Mourinho- scoring 11 times in the treble-winning season.
The Italian spent just three years at the club, from the 2007/08 season to 2010, before leaving for Manchester City. Since his time at Inter, his career has hit low after low following controversial moment after controversial moment.
He did find some success at City, assisting his only goal on the final day of the 2012 Premier League season in the famous Aguero title-sealing moment before having spells at AC Milan, Liverpool and Nice.
Still playing at 30, Balotelli plies his trade in Serie B for Monza, where he has five goals in 19 games.
Diego Milito: The top scorer in the last Inter Milan Scudetto winning side, Milito will forever be remembered as a club legend. After just one season in Italy, he could already call himself a treble winner thanks to his 30 goals in all competitions.
After five years in Italy, the forward departed for Racing Club before retiring in 2016.
Samuel Eto’o: Arguably the greatest African striker of his generation, Samuel Eto’o and Inter Milan were a match made in heaven. The forward netted 16 goals during the famous 2009/10 season when partnered with Milito before scoring an astonishing tally of 50 the following season.
After a couple of seasons at the Italian club, Eto’o departed to Anzhi in 2011 before joining forces with Jose Mourinho once more at Chelsea in 2013. He then had spells at Everton, Antalyaspor and Qatar SC before retiring in 2019.
When looking back at the last Inter Milan Scudetto winning side in 2010, you begin to realise just how good a side they were. Now, 11 years on, Antonio Conte’s side are looking to end the drought of title wins with only a handful of games left to play.
Main Photo
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